Coming Clean – the Housecleaning Choice

Here are some questions that will stimulate honest discussion and prayer. Feel free to use some or all of them to explore the topic. Remember to give time for friendship and socialising, as well as prayer and letting the Holy Spirit guide your time together

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5v6

Religions have often been accused of putting guilt on people and making them feel accused. And yet guilt and shame have such a negative effect on us, if they are not dealt with. What should be the Christian response to guilt?

A pure heart is not plagued by guilt and shame, yet many of our thoughts and actions are a result of unresolved guilt over wrongs that we have done or wrongs that have been projected onto us.

Prayer and worship exercise:

Spend some time quietly responding to Psalm 139v23 and 24. You may each want to write down the thoughts that you have. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas where the choices you have made have been good and where choices you have made have led to guilt that is still not dealt with. This may remain private or you may wish to share some of these with someone in the group.

Other questions you may wish to consider:

Proverbs 20v27

How does taking responsibility help us be free from guilt?

Isaiah 1v18

How does asking for God’s forgiveness help us be free from guilt?

Romans 3v23-24

How does accepting God’s forgiveness and forgiving ourselves free us from guilt?

James 5v16

How does confessing our faults to another person free us from guilt?

Living it out:

The message of Jesus is grace not condemnation. In what ways can we help ourselves, one another and other friends who don’t share our faith to acknowledge the negative power of guilt but introduce the free love of God?

For more prayer ideas, see the weekly notice sheet.

Martin Young, 21/03/2010